apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Look at retrorenovation.com. You'll find all kinds of sources for "period" linoleum and other materials/supplies for your kitchen. It's awesome, by the way!

Although I applaud you for wishing to maintain the vintage nature of your kitchen - it seems that there's a whole lot of wasted space in those soffits, the cabinets above the peninsula block the view into the family room, and the lack of a divider between the fridge and the counter bugs me.

If it were my place and I had the funds I'd contemplate a complete renovation with raised-panel site-built cabinets that have modern interior hardware installed such as pull-outs and lazy-susan inserts from Hafele, pink tile countertops with a double-basin stainless-steel sink (unless you can find a vintage pink porcelain sink), a new GE Profile 36" gas cooktop for your chef-husband, new built-in refrigerator and dishwasher that accept decorative panels so you can slide in some pink laminate panels to match w/ your vintage pink oven, and reuse as many of your vintage pulls and knobs as you can.

For the floor, I'd choose Marmoleum - perhaps with an interesting center inlay in pink.

For more ideas and resources, why not check out Retrorenovation.com?

I think quartz might be your best bet for counters if you don't go the stainless route. They look great, and they can stand a lot more abuse than natural stone. Comes in a range of colours too. They're also neutral enough that they won't necessarily pull the look in a direction that's too updated (...if you're trying to stick to a bit of a 60s vibe).

Looks like you should be able to sand and stain the cabinets a new stain color if you wish to avoid paint. You can go dark to contrast the pink. Dark brown, medium grey, light pink and punchy coral would be a good color combination.

How about dark brown (with a hint of mahogany) cabinets, grey cement counter tops, coral red accents on your counter tops? Introduce some stainless steel, like the sink and do a gray floor with some punchy coral red rugs. For linoleum options check out these great, modern, eco-friendly and affordable marmoleum options:

http://www.modernests.com/2009/05/modern-materials-marmoleum.html

Here's how you can make cement counter tops yourself:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Concrete-Countertops-for-the-Kitchen---Solid-Surfa/

http://www.modernests.com

I read an article a few years back (source now forgotten) in which a homeowner doing his own kitchen reno, purchased a quantity of anodized aluminum, made cardboard cutouts of his countertops, and got a local machine shop to cut and finish the edges for him. He said even with the extra steps it was much cheaper than stainless steel. The results were stunning. Anodized aluminum is usually seen in the worst possible uses (cruddy shower stalls, for instance) but it is extraordinarily hard, withstands all elements (it is used to cover satellites to protect the internal works) and I think it is about as retro as you can get.

I would absolutely avoid the stainless steel counter top, unless you are going to redo the entire kitchen with modern appliances etc. Anything stainless steel looks modern and will not match the floor and cabinets. I know you said you want to avoid painting the cabinets, but you may want to reconsider or consider sanding them down and staining them a different color stain, dark cherry perhaps. I agree, the linoleum has got to go, but have you tried pulling up a corner to see what was under? Original hardwood floors are in many of these older homes. If not, have you thought about saltillo tiles? They are pretty cheap, easy to install and last and look a lot better than linoleum.

Say adios to the hanging cabinets between the kitchen and the next room. You won't believe the difference it will make and it's an easy matter to patch and paint where they were removed. That way, your guests can talk to the cook without blocking what looks like the only prep counter. Put the disused cabinets in the garage or attic and maybe you could use them as the base for a window seat at a later time by having a plywood top and cushion made for them.

The white appliances scream ... well, they just scream. If you're not going to paint the cabinets to reduce the jarring jump from wood to bright white, consider ordering new doors only from the manufacturers in *any* other color. Black! Avocado!

And there are GREAT vintage-y lino sources out there. Maybe you could forgo rolled flooring and do something with that. In any case, I'd either go with teeny squares (coin-tile-ish) or big big ones ... as long as you're going to replace it, do something fun with scale.

We put this cool 'green' countertop, Icestone, in my dad's 1962 condo and it looks super retro:
http://www.icestone.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=115&Itemid=499

How about using colored appliances?

find out how much it will cost to hire a designer or architect to give you a multi-phase plan so you can do things in layers and monitor how your choices are working withthe home's original 1960 vibe. A good plan means avoiding expensive mistakes and having to make compromises because your funds ran out. . .. basically it means retaining control over your project is possible. have fun. . .

It's very difficult to respond to this question as the photo is too small to see well, and it shows just one small part of the kitchen -- i.e., can't see the pink oven, and how it is integrated.

Judging just from what I do see though, those soffits, countertop tiles (those look to be flooring tiles applied to the counter), vinyl flooring and ceiling light and plantation shutters, it is definitely not a '60s kitchen -- looks more to be the product of an '80s renovation with updates through the '90s and '00s (the shutters for example). In order to achieve a vintage 60's feel, you would have to roll back a lot of changes.

As a cook, I would start from scratch, as I don't find those sorts of cupboards to be very practical - I like to have drawers with modern hardware (i.e., full extension smooth rolling drawers, etc.). I would seriously hesitate installing a higher-end countertop on those cupboards -- the look wouldn't work, even with newer appliances.

We had similar c. 1970 cupboards in our house, and simply could not make the kitchen functional for serious cooking without removing them and drastically changing the layout.

I wish you luck.

How about carefully removing as much of the existing cabinetry & hardware with the intent of reusing them?

Then tear out the rest, demolish and start from scratch with a more modern and practical layout, but using the old materials where possible?

(I hear a lot of conservationists screaming now, sorry!)

There is nothing that is going to make those cabinets look nice or useful. The interiors are tiny, the soffits are ridiculous, and there are almost certainly no useful interior fittings.

If you can afford to get rid of them, do it. You can donate the cabinets or give them away on freecycle if you don't want them going to a landfill.

New cabinets will have many options for great fittings that will make your kitchen very convenient.

I think it is worth pointing out that not everything old or original is necessarily worth saving. That kitchen doesn't look like anything special or architecturally important, so I think the guiding principle should be whether or not it works for what you need.

so my 2 personalities are in conflict (the avid cook and the lover of mid-century modern).... the two are very difficult to get along.... I'll go through why:

first, mid-60's cooktops are very weak and not easy to clean... but modern/strong gas cooktops (bluestar is the one in my dreams) conflict with the period design

Ditto on countertops. The best functional countertops are granite. Stainless can take hot pans, but scratches. Concrete and mable are porous, even when well-sealed... so they stain. Formica (perfect for mid-century) can stain a little, is scratches, and it can't take a hot pan.

so, in the end, you will have to make compromises in design/function to make a blend that works best for you. If I were in your situation (wanting to keep a mid-century-modern feel and cook), I would probably either get formica counters with well placed wood cutting boards (for hot pots), or get quartz or granite that looks like formica (more of a solid color... less flecked). For cooktops, I don't know......

I HAD a similar 1960's kitchen. If you don't have the money to buy nice new cabinets DON'T REPLACE them. They are much better than cheap home depot replacements.

My cabinets had a nice wood grain and horribly ugly hardware. I kept trying to live with it but in the end I just couldn't. So I changed the hardware and painted them. I had glass inserted into the doors and it looks like a country kitchen.

However for your home I like the Marmoleum ideas and the icestone countertop. My counter looked like the icestone but it was formica (and really dirty, lol). I chose soapstone for my countertop and I absolutely love it. It looks better with age and it's old fashioned and modern at the same time. I did the DIY option.

http://www.soapstones.com

if you really want to keep the cabinets and not alter them in any way, i think pink and gold could look awesome. not a bright, shiny gold but deeper and warmer. maybe i'm thinking of mustard, i don't know. that would also look good if you do decide to stain the cabinets darker. maybe a chocolate brown floor, pink countertop, gold walls? the white appliances would continue to stand out though.

if you are willing to paint the cabinets, i'd paint them white (or at least white-wash them) and go for pink, white and red. that would be sweet with mostly white tile for both the floor and countertops with pink and red accents. cool red walls, white curtains with red rickrack. it would look like candy . . . and your white (and pink) appliances would fit. but that's only with white cabinets, and you'd have to change the hardware.

I just wanted to chime in about the stainless countertops option. They do scratch, but it takes a lot to really scratch it, superficial scratches buff right out.
And they may look modern, in the 1920s, that's when my house was built and the counters installed. Like many other features of the house it was on the cutting edge then, but still looks great today- not too modern to look out of place with to-the-ceiling glass paned cabinet doors, but fresh.

On the downside, if there are any seams they can be hard to clean and it develops fingerprints easily. but hot pans anywhere!

As a cook- I cringe when I see pictures of trendy kitchens in design magazines. I think of the maintenance issue right away. These kitchens are built for show or for people who do not know how to operate a microwave nor boil an egg.

Consider restaining the cabinets to a darker color. Replace the countertops with engineered stones such as corian , silestone or celador. Natural hard stones as granite(don't even think about marble especially white marble) or if your budget is limited plastic laminate. Forget about concrete slab or soapstone-they chip and crack. Think about ceramic tiles for the flooring or backsplash. I was at the IDCNY recently and it is amazing how technology has aethetically transformed ceramic tiles.
They are durable and inexpensive for as low as $2-$4 per square feet. Go to Stone Source or Hastings for good options for ceramic tiles

Lastly do not underestimate the power of paint and color.

I agree with chatelaine, at least some of this kitchen was redone in the 1980s. (and I so need to see the pink oven). I would start by poking around on web for pictures of model kitchens and advertisements from the time period.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks so much for the great ideas! We are indeed planning on getting rid of the cabinets up top. As for the kitchen being renovated in the 80s or 90s - I thought so too at first, but if it was done it was minimal. The sink has the original "huddee" ring around it and so the countertops (and probably the cabinets) are likely original too. I'm doubting hardwood under the linoleum because elsewhere in the house the hardwood has been preserved.

For those of you who suggested quartz countertops and icestone - any comments on their durability?

Also, I sent in a picture of the pink oven to AT but it wasn't posted. Hopefully they can post a link to the picture!

Much thanks!
H

Hi Everyone,

Thanks so much for the great ideas! We are indeed planning to take down the cabinets between the kitchen and dining area. As for being renovated in the 80s or 90s - I thought so too at first. But if it was done it was very minimal because the sink still has the original huddee ring around, making it likely that the counters and cabinets are original. I hope there is hardwood underneath the floor, but I doubt it considering the hardwood everywhere else in the house was preserved and that the linoleum and hardwood dining room floor match up exactly in height.

For those of you who recommended quartz and icestone counters, any comments on durability?

And I sent AT a picture of the pink oven! Hopefully they can post a link to it!
Thanks again,
H

I love my marmoleum floor in the kitchen--has held up well to two dogs. If I had it to do over, I'd get marmoleum sqares, instead of paying someone to roll out a single color.

Not sure if you're still checking this post, and I imagine you've probably done further research, but wanted to add some detail about quartz.

I don't have it myself. I just couldn't do it with my modest reno budget, so I went with wood. But I love the way quartz looks. I prefer it light (white or off-white), but it comes in a range of colours.

Despite going with a different material myself, I've looked into quartz, and from what I've read it is actually more durable than some of the natural stone products because it is engineered. Apparently it requires no sealing, and it won't stain or scratch. Depending on the colour you select and the size of the small shapes in it, you can mimic the look of some stone. The patina that marble, for example, would develop over time is really lovely. But quartz can look lovely too. I think anyway.

Anyway, good luck with your reno.